


Love The Giver More Than The Gift

by acupofplainyogurt (multifandomfictionwriter4)



Series: new beginnings (simon/you) [1]
Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Don't Examine This Too Closely, Don't copy to another site, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, M/M, Minor Hoban "Wash" Washburne/Zoë Washburne, No Sex, No Smut, Not Canon Compliant, Other, POV Any Gender, POV Female Character, POV First Person, POV Male Character, Ratings: PG, Reader-Insert, no beta we die like men, reader is a crew member
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomfictionwriter4/pseuds/acupofplainyogurt
Summary: “What in the- Simon, is that chocolate?!”He nodded, but I was busy staring at the package in his hand.“Where in the ’verse did you find that?!”- Title is a quote by Brigham Young.- Inspired by the prompt "hey, you got something on your face let me get it for you, wait oh crap" by @/happylilprompts on Tumblr.
Relationships: River Tam & Other(s), River Tam & Simon Tam, Simon Tam/Reader
Series: new beginnings (simon/you) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2126307
Kudos: 1





	Love The Giver More Than The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Dictionary/Translator:  
> Xie xie = thank you  
> He = river  
> Wo de ma = damn it  
> Tian a = my god  
> If there is an error(s), please let me know!

The first time I came back from a job since River and Simon had boarded Serenity, I’d managed to snag a small wooden horse figurine from the client’s dwelling. 

I nervously knocked on the Tams’ door. “River? If you’re there, I have something for you.” 

The door swung open, but it was Simon. “River’s wandering the ship,” he stated simply. 

“Thanks anyway,” I replied with a small smile. “I’ll go look for her.” 

“Mind if I come with you?” 

“Of course not, feel free.” 

“ _Xie xie_.” 

The next time, I’d brought something for Simon. It was a small ring, engraved on the inside of the band with the word 河, or _he_. 

He’d stayed behind with River again, so when I knocked on his door the day after, he opened it and asked, “Looking for River?” 

“No, you.” 

“Oh.” His expression changed. “Did someone get hurt?” 

“No, but I managed to get this made for you.” I held the ring in the palm of my hand, suddenly a bit self-conscious. “It says, on the inside, ‘river’.” 

His lips parted slightly, but he took the ring, looked at the character, and looked at me. “Wow, I… thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.” 

I shrugged, but did not back down, vehement in telling him, “You deserve nice things, too.” 

He blushed, and I continued, “I know you care about her, and I wanted to, I don’t know. Do something meaningful.” 

“Well, you have,” he contended, not unkindly. “Thanks again.” 

That evening, I saw him in the dining room making something, and wandered over. “How’s River?” 

“Good. She asked about the ring, and I showed her. I think it made her happy.” Simon stopped stirring the bowl, and he met my eyes. “Thank you.” 

I just nodded in acknowledgement, and watched him continue to stir the bowl, the silver band gleaming. 

“Not proposing or anything, think it’s too early,” I clarified playfully as I sat backwards in a chair, facing the counter where he stood. 

Simon laughed, nearly snorting. “What, me, or River?” 

“She jealous of your ring?” I dodged. 

“She’s not like that.” He turned, and his amused eyes caught the dim light for a split second. They shone like an honest-to-goodness ocean, and he looked like a warm-toned oil painting, all soft lines and blended colours. I blinked, and it was gone. 

“I’ve got to bring River her dinner,” he explained. 

I nodded. “See you around.” 

It had been some time since then, but I’d never seen him without the ring. Mal had decided to take an honest job, and while Simon was out healing, I fretted. Later still, I was pacing the floor of the dining room, when he walked in. 

“What in the- Simon, is that chocolate?!” 

He nodded, but I was busy staring at the package in his hand. 

“Where in the ’verse did you find that?!” 

“On the job, of course.” 

I speculated, “Did you steal that? Because if you did, that makes you-” 

“No better than you, I suppose,” he insinuated with a shrug. 

I observed him with a tilt of my head, tapping a finger to my lips dramatically. “You’re the best of us.” 

“Even if I don’t give you this?” 

“I’d fight you for it, and win.” 

Simon sighed, not willing to call me on it lest we end up wrestling on the floor of the dining hall, but a second later, his eyes lit up. “Okay. How about I melt a bit and we can dip some stuff in it?” 

“Better hurry up then!” We were both smiling as Simon turned on the heat element used for warming food and I grabbed a small bowl, which I put on the element. Simon broke off a small chunk of chocolate and dropped it in the bowl. 

While we waited, Wash walked by. “Hey, you two. Sounds like everything went well down there.” 

Simon nodded. “Glad my skills came in handy for a job, not just patching everyone up.” 

“You’re gorram good at it, though,” I drawled. And he honestly cared about people. Maybe it was what he’d learned and experienced from his schooling, or River, or being on Serenity for so long, but I figured being a doctor was near and dear to him. 

“What’s that smell?” Wash asked. 

“ _Wo de ma_ ,” I muttered, practically not speaking at all. 

“Nothing,” Simon spoke over me. “Uh, where’s Zoe? She wanted to talk to you.” 

Wash seemed surprised. “About the job? Sure, I’ll go find her.” 

The second he left the doorway, Simon grabbed the bowl off the element and powered it off while I snatched a container of crisps from the cabinet across the room. 

“Let’s go to my room,” I insisted as we hurried through the hallways like we’d been caught red-handed. If it had been anyone else, they’d have found out about the chocolate. 

I passed Simon and hurried down the ladder, crisps in hand, and reached up for the bowl, then put it on a low table. Simon handed it to me and clambered down, the block of chocolate still in his hand. 

I shut the hatch and sighed, inhaling chocolate-smelling air. “It sure smells delicious.” 

“Like heaven,” Simon agreed, looking around at my room. 

“Wasn’t expecting guests.” I sat in front of the table, gesturing for my guest to do the same. He knelt down and I produced the bag of crisps for dipping. 

Popping it open, I dipped a crisp into the still-warm chocolate and offered the bag to Simon. He did the same, and we bit down on our snacks at the same time. 

“ _Tian a_ ,” I sighed, eyes closed. “I’d forgotten what real chocolate was like. Thank you, Simon.” 

“Anytime,” came his smooth voice. 

As we passed the bag back and forth, few words being shared, I thought about his ring. I’d spent some time getting that done, and it seemed like it had been worth it. Sure, Simon worried about his sister a lot, and had to worry about everyone because he was the doctor, but if I could be a friend to him, I definitely would. Or maybe more. We could both use a bit of relaxation. 

The chocolate in the bowl was basically done, and Simon offered me the bowl. I dipped a finger in and licked off the chocolate. “I practically had a food-gasm.” 

Simon’s cheeks turned a fierce red, and he coughed. “That’s… good?” 

“Yes indeed,” I drawled, cleaning out the bowl completely. He looked at me, still blushing. 

“You’ve got something on your face,” he intimated, touching the corner of his mouth. 

I tried to rub it off. “Did I get it?” 

He shook his head. “Sit up, I’ll get it for you.” 

Kneeling facing each other across the table, Simon broke eye contact as he wetted his thumb with his mouth, then looked intently at my face as he held my cheek and brushed across the chocolate with his thumb. 

My lips parted. “Kiss me,” I blurted, so far gone in the depths of his blue eyes that it was like I needed his lips on mine to remind me how to breathe. 

“With pleasure.” His hand on my face pulled me close as he leaned in, and our lips met over the table. 

I grasped his wrist as the light contact from his hand on my face became firm, and I deepened the kiss as he did so. Like a pair of divers, we each drew back with a gasp for air. 

“You taste like chocolate,” I breathed, and he huffed a quiet laugh. 

“Stand up?” Simon asked, letting go of me, and I did, intrigued. He stepped around the table and wrapped his arms around my waist. 

“Not to be too forward, but I’d really like to kiss you again,” he finished. 

My arms wrapped around his neck, and I whispered, “Sure thing.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you noticed, I tagged this "no beta we die like men". If you want to be a beta reader, please message me on Archive of Our Own or leave a comment so I can contact you!
> 
> (I personally think my writing is more immature than I'd like it to be. :// Hopefully I can get some help with that.)


End file.
